Starting Aug. 3, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden will stay open late for Summer Evenings @ Hirshhorn, a series of free indoor/outdoor happy hour events marking the final weeks of summer. From 5 to 8:30 p.m., every Thursday in August, Washington, D.C.’s art enthusiasts are invited to explore bold new exhibitions, enjoy thought-provoking tours or just lounge by the museum’s fountain with friends, listening to beats by popular local musicians and DJs. After-work drinks and tasty bites will be provided by neighborhood hangout Tortoise & Hare Bar and Grille.

Each Summer Evening offers a unique array of surprise pop-up talks, film screenings and special tours, with no two events alike. Highlights include a special farewell to “Linn Meyers: Our View From Here” Aug. 10 and a walkthrough of favorite works in the permanent collection with chief curator Stéphane Aquin to mark the closing of “Masterworks from the Hirshhorn Collection.” Audiences will also have the chance to discover the Hirshhorn’s newest exhibitions in a festive after-hours setting, experiencing work by renowned contemporary artists Ai Weiwei, Yoko Ono and Markus Lüpertz.

For the Hirshhorn’s youngest audiences, a special evening STORYTIME+ will be part of the fun Thursday, Aug. 31 at 5:15 p.m. Little wild things ages birth to 6 can explore the mural “sunrise, sunset” by Nicolas Party and read Where the Wild ThingsAre by Maurice Sendak. Following the read-aloud, participants will create their own playful landscapes and visual stories.

Summer Evenings @ Hirshhorn is part of the museum’s continued commitment to providing access to modern and contemporary art through free and exciting community events. The museum’s 2015 Happy Hour series welcomed over 6,000 revelers.

Admission is free, with a cash bar. Last entry into the museum is 8 p.m.

About the Hirshhorn

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the national museum of modern and contemporary art and a leading voice for 21st-century art and culture. Part of the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn is located prominently on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. With nearly 12,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media installations, works on paper and new media works, its holdings encompass one of the most important collections of postwar American and European art in the world. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs on the art of our time—free to all, 364 days a year. For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu.